Your struggle with financial sacrifice during Lent

Alan_D/Flickr

Like me, Emily is having a hard time with her spending moratorium during Lent. She emailed:

My spending moratorium (for March) got rescheduled after some unexpected costs came up last month, so I decided to give it up for Lent instead. So far so good. Aside from my weekly co-pay at the dr’s for allergy shots, occasional gas refills, and the rare but much needed grocery replenishment (milk, eggs) it’s been so far so good.

Until Monday. I was at work and then grad school longer than intended, so my boyfriend and I wound up going out to dinner rather than cooking at home. HOWEVER, being that it was Jersey Shore restaurant week, we were able to get the $30.11 deal for a 3 course meal. Then, they also allowed us to use a buy-one-get-one-entree-free coupon that had come in the mail.

I’m going to keep going, but I am also glad that Lent is only two more weeks. Some things like school supplies are dwindling quickly, and will need to be replaced!

I feel your pain, Emily. It’s very difficult to cut out spending entirely, but even with slip ups it’s an important exercise. What a privilege it is to be able to buy!

I gave up all spending last July and ended up breaking it three times. I’m also have a hard time giving up my car for Lent this year. I’ve gotten so used to driving moderate distances (3-12 miles) instead of riding my bike that I have not been able to adjust my schedule to create time for my slower, two-wheeled form of transportation. Some habits are hard to break, and there has not been a huge financial incentive for me to put down the car keys.

Comments

Julia, thank you for sharing this, and for reminding me that you, too, have slipped up.
It is important to note what we really do, and do not need to spend money on, and is an important exercise in many ways!

There are no saints on earth, and none of us are perfect, so we need to use a bit of common sense in all this. I try to do the best I can to keep expenses down to a minimum, and go without things I “want” rather than the things I “need.” There’s a big difference. If I do that, and also remember to be kind to others, I don’t need to feel guilty about the occasional lapse.

Wow! I don’t think anyone’s ever called me “wise” before! Smart once in a while, but usually having common sense, which seems to help the most in the long run. I have a sister and a brother with mega smarts, but my dear sister has little common sense. Another case of not trying to compare oneself to others. I just try to do the best I can do, and not worry about what others do, or what they think about what I do. Keeps things in perspective.